


Moments of Connection

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Series: Blue Warriors [1]
Category: 3Below (Cartoon), Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Bonding, F/M, Falling In Love, Ficlet Collection, Hurt/Comfort, Long-Term Relationship(s), Meeting the Parents, Slow Romance, ajim, but for the most part they'll be their show-aged selves, or Aja and Jim will be adults in some of these, troll!jim, who have two daughters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2019-09-25 12:37:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17121503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Jim and Aja begin talking to one another, and then connecting with each other.  Eventually, over the course of their adventures together, sparks fly.A series of short scenes focused on their relationship.





	1. A Moment of Connection

“It’s so quiet,” Aja whispers in awe.She wanders further into the house.No one’s there.If it wasn’t for the fact that this is _Jim’s_ house and she knows him, that would disturb her.Back home, there is never a moment of pure _silence_.Between herself, Krel, now Zarda, formerly Vex, Luug, Mother, and Ricky and Lucy Blank, someone is always doing something, and that something is never, _never_ quiet.

“Yeah, it’s just me and my mom.”Jim follows Aja as she meanders into the kitchen.“Or, I guess it’s just her now since I’m—yeah.”He inhales sharply.“She’s at work, so we have the place to ourselves for a few hours.I can see what food there is if you want a snack?”

“That won’t be necessary.”Aja walks back to him.“Lucy insisted I eat before I leave the mothership.”She looks back at him.“If it is just you and your mother, your father, is he…?”

Jim winces.“He’s gone.He left us when I was a kid.Guy never even bothered to return for his junk.”He pauses.“It doesn’t matter.He doesn’t matter.”

“I’m sorry.”Aja reaches out a hand to him, but Jim brushes her off.“Family is most important.I can’t imagine how that must’ve felt.”

“Like I said, the guy doesn’t matter.He’s not my family.”Jim inhales and then exhales.“My mom’s my family.Toby and Claire too.Blinky.Arrrgh!!!”He looks at Aja.“So, Akiridion-5, what’s it like?You guys have all this amazing tech.I can’t imagine what it’s like there.”

Aja accepts the topic change.“It’s lively,” she starts.Aja pauses, unsure of how to continue.She can picture Akiridion-5 clearly in her mind, but to describe it to someone who’s never been there?“It’s _home,_ ” she continues.“I miss it.Everything there is so…” She sees herself running through the palace in her mind.She’s known all the corridors and passageways since she was nine.The hustle and bustle of the capital city too.Aja always loved watching people go about their normal business; their lives so different, _distinctive,_ from her own.“Brilliant.Wonderful,” she adds.“I always thought it was normal and…” her breath hitches.“I didn’t—I thought I would always…” She squeezes her eyes shut.“It hurts.In my core.There’s this ache.It won’t go away no matter how much I try not to think about it.”She feels tears swelling the the corners of her eyes.She hunches in on herself.Not here.Not now. _Please._

_“_ Hey.”Jim puts a hand on her back in what she assumes in a human (or troll?) gesture of comforting.“It’s okay.I mean, it’s not okay that you’re here.Wait, no, it is.I like you and I like spending time with you.”He runs a hand over one of his horns.“The part where that General Buttface took over your planet?Definitely not okay.That’s what I mean.I—”

“Shush.”Aja put a finger over his lips to stop him from speaking.“You’re thoughts, they are good.But your words…”

“Toby says I have all the eloquence of a fifth-grader.”

“What is a fifth-grader?”

“A kid, basically.”

Aja laughs.“He is not wrong.”

“Hey!”Jim’s protest doesn’t last long.“Do you want to start over?We can still talk about things, but I get it if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s fine.I never knew how much I’d miss it until I couldn’t go back.Do you know what that’s like?”

Jim’s response comes after a moment of silence.

“Yes.”


	2. Carried Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aja gets carried away while she and Jim are grocery shopping.

“Alright.”Jim consults his shopping list.“We have almost everything.Just a few more items to go.”He looks up at Aja.“Do you think you can get the cayenne?”

“Cayenne?”

“Yeah, it’s a type of spice.”Jim rips off the corner of his shopping list and scribbles a word down on the scrap.“It comes in a little shaker and it’ll say this on the label.”He hands Aja the scrap with the world ‘cayenne’ hastily scrawled in his chicken-scratch handwriting.“It’ll be in the spice aisle.You’ll know it because it’ll say ‘spices’ on the sign hanging above it.Think you can do it?”

“Of course!”Aja nearly interrupts him.“I am up for _any_ challenge.I will find this ‘cayenne’ and meet you at the ‘check-out’!”She quickly pecks him on the cheek before running out of the produce section.

One of Jim’s hands comes up to brush over where Aja kissed him while he stares after her.His heart flutters.Then someone jostles him out of their way, he stammers an apology, and attempts to hide the blush on his cheeks.

Jim hastily goes to get everything else they need on his list and then heads to wait for Aja at the check-out.

He waits.

And waits.

And waits.

And begins to get worried.

And considers going to find Aja.

And breathes in relief when he sees her.

Or rather, when he sees the tall mountain of food items approaching him on skinny legs wearing recognizable tennis shoes.

Aja dumps everything she carries down on the conveyor belt, which causes both the cashier and Jim to stare, wide-eyed.“I got the cayenne!”She triumphantly shows the little shaker to Jim.

“That’s good.” Jim nods.He feels like it’s probably the right response here.“And the rest of this stuff is…?”

“While I was looking for the cayenne, I saw they had cake mixes!”Aja grabs a box labelled something along the lines of ‘super double chocolate deluxe’—Jim isn’t able to read the entire label before Aja tosses it back down on her heap.She continues, “You told me the other delson that you’d show me how to make cake and here’s the perfect opportunity!But cakes always have frosting, so I had to get that, and sprinkles!Sprinkles are so _lively_.And…”Aja glances at her heap of food items, and then at Jim.“I may have gotten carried away, just a little.I…”

“It’s fine.”Jim grabs her hands in his.“I want you to be able to try all manner of foods while you’re here.It’s _fine_.”

Aja lunges forward and squeezes Jim in a tight hug.

After they pay and leave, their cashier turns to his coworker working the next station.“Hey, Stuart, it’s not October, right?”

“No, why?”

“Just checking.I thought Halloween came early cause I swear those two were wearing the most realistic alien and troll—at least I think that’s what that was—costumes I’ve ever seen.”

Stuart gives the cashier a long look.“You’re new in town, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, just moved here last week.Why?”

Stuart disables his cloaking device.“Then, let me be the first to welcome you to Arcadia.”He grins as the cashier stares at him.“No one’s normal in Arcadia.You’ll get used to it.Tell Gladys I’m leaving for the day.If those kids are making cake, I want in on it.”


	3. Recipe for Success

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim prepares a surprise dish for a meet-the-parents dinner for Barbara and Aja's parents, Fialkov and Coranda.
> 
> *There is not supposed to be a continuity between this one and the previous chapter. The fact that one is about Jim and Aja shopping for groceries and this opens with Jim cooking was a fun, but accidental, coincidence.

“So, my Akiridion may be a little rusty, but I’m fairly certain this means we’re supposed to let it cook for twenty minutes.”Stuart looks up from the recipe page in his interplanetary cookbook.

“Cook or simmer?”Jim, not for the first time, asks for clarification.He’s learned by now that he should.

“Yeah, so technically, it says we should let it ‘energize’ for twenty mekrons, but we don’t have an Akiridion Energizer, so I’d say the oven is our best bet.”Stuart scratches the back of his head.He smiles reassuringly at Jim.“It’s worth a try.I mean, what’s the worst that can happen?”

Wordlessly, Jim points to Attempt #6, still clinging adamantly to the ceiling.

“I see your point.But, we know what went wrong there, so we won’t make the same again.This’ll all work out.You’ll see, Jimmy.”

“Don’t.”Jim winces.“Call me ‘Jimmy’.”

“Okay, yeah, didn’t sound right coming out of the mouth.”

Jim sighs.“It’s fine.”He runs a hand over one of his horns.

“Hey, something wrong?”Stuart walks over to Jim and reaches up to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder.“Other than, you know, my poor choice in attempted nicknames?I know we don’t know each other that well, but you can talk to me.”

Jim brushes off Stuart’s hand.“Just nerves, I guess.I want—I _need_ —this to go well.I really like Aja.”He pauses.“I don’t exactly have a good track record of getting girlfriends’ parents to like me, and they’re _royalty_.”He throws out his hands in front of him.“They can literally command she never see me again and it’ll actually mean something.This _has_ to go well.”

“Ah, but you are forgetting,” Krel says as he walks in Stuart’s kitchen.“Just how stubborn Aja is.All because we are royalty, it doesn’t mean she will listen if she doesn’t want to.”He examines Stuart’s oven.“This isn’t going to be enough to do what you want it do.But.”He took out something that looked like a screwdriver but wasn’t from his pocket.“Give me a horvath, I’ll see what I can do.”He grins at Jim.

“You haven’t been returning any of my texts, how did you—?”

“It’s an old Akiridion tradition to let our siblings’ significant others struggle a bit before helping them.Also, listening in on your rather humorous attempts to make Akiridion food without the proper equipment was quite enjoyable.”Krel unscrews the oven door.He takes a glowing ball out of his pocket, pokes it so it’ll grow from its traveling size to its regular one, and sets it to start emitting music.“Now, out.Both of you.I need time to work without you two cluttering up my workspace.”He shoos them out of the kitchen.

* * *

Jim looks up at the familiar lights of his house, and gulps.His hands tighten protectively around the dish he, Stuart, and Krel prepared.

This is it.

Aja appears in the doorway, and then runs out to wrap her arms around him.“I’m so glad you’re finally here,” she whispers in his ear before kissing his cheek.“I think Mama and Papa freak out your mother.”

“Oh,” Jim responds.“Be careful!”He quickly follows up with, as Aja almost knocks the dish out of his hands.“We spent hours making it!”

“What is it?”Aja pokes the dish’s lid.

“A _surprise_.For dinner.”Jim grins.

Aja tries to pry the lid off.

Jim stops her.“I told you, it’s a _surprise_.”He clamps a hand down on the lid.“So, you aren’t allowed to see it.”

“Pleeeease?”Aja pouts.“For _me_.”

“It is for you.”Jim sidesteps around Aja.“You’ll see it when we sit down to eat.” He heads into the house, purposefully ignoring how Aja harrumphs after him.

Inside, both Jim and Aja’s parents are on the couch.Fialkov and Coranda tower above Barbara, who, given her body language, is indeed unnerved.Just a little bit.Though, it’s more likely that’s because her potential in-laws are royalty rather than extraterrestrials.

Yesterday, she’d tried to pick Jim’s brain for all he knew on how to properly welcome Akiridion royalty into one’s home.Jim reassured his mom; because they were on Earth, far, far away from Akiridion-5 and its courts, Aja’s parents were perfectly fine with a dinner that followed human traditions.Or, at least, that’s what they told Aja to tell Jim to tell Barbara.

Regardless, it is clear Jim’s mother isn’t completely comfortable, but she’s doing her best.

“Jim’s here!”Aja rushes up beside him and yells.One of her hands reaches for the lid over his dish again, and he has to maneuver away from her a second time.“And he brought a _surprise_.”She gestures to the dish.

All eyes turn to Jim.He gulps, and decides perhaps it is the best time to reveal what he’s made after all.

Jim removes the lid.“In your honor,” he speaks to Fialkov and Coranda.“I’ve made yuuxurki.”He shows them the food.“Made with substituted ingredients indigenous to Earth and with help from Krel and Stuart of Durio.”After quickly glancing at Aja’s parents, he adds, “As a way to merge Akiridion and Earth cuisine.It probably won’t taste the same as what you’re used to, but I hope you enjoy it.”

Gently, Coranda takes the yuuxurki from Jim.She smiles at him.“It looks delicious.Thank you, James.”She holds up his offering so Fialkov can examine it too.

“You could have told me that outside,” Aja whispers to Jim while their parents are distracted.

Jim whispers back, “I was planning on having a better reveal, but you drew attention to it too early.”

“You should have told me that’s what you were going to do.”

“I did.I told you it was a surprise.You’re just impatient.”Jim gives her a pointed look.

“I am _not_.” Aja blushes.A dark turquoise color Jim finds cute takes over her cheeks.“So, maybe I am.But, if you are to be my Prince Consort, you must learn to tell me things before everyone else.”

“So, I can never surprise you?”Jim teases.“I thought you like my surprises.”

Aja retorts, “I _do._ You are being impossible.”

“Oh, I-”

“Don’t stop.I _like_ it.”

“ _Ahem_.”Barbara coughs to get their attention.“We should probably sit down before everything gets cold.”

“No, no, let them continue.”Fialkov joins the conversation.“Personally, I would like to see how far they’d go.”

Coranda adds, “Their banter is rather cute.”She turns to Fialkov.“Reminds me of us when we were young.”

“ _Mama_!”Aja groans.

Jim takes her hand in his and squeezes.“Don’t listen to them,” he whispers in her ear.“We can tease them back over dinner.”

“You have a plan?”

“I was hoping you’d help me come up with something, since, you know, you’re more creative.”

Aja grins at Jim.“Of course.”

Together, they walk over to the dinner table.

* * *

Jim stretches as he prepares for bed.Barbara offered him the chance to sleep in his old room, and he’d taken her up on that.

A knock on his window makes him jump.Jim spins around in time to see a blue hand disappear up onto the roof.He smiles, and then climbs out the window after it.

“Aren’t you supposed to be home?”Jim asks Aja as he sits down beside her.

“But this is my home too.”Aja laughs.She stops and says, “I think that went well.Don’t you?”

“I think your parents like me,” Jim answers.“They didn’t seem to not like me, anyway.And I know my mom already likes you a lot.”

Aja strokes his arm.“They do.They think you’re brave and kind and patient, which will be good for me.”She rolls her eyes.“Papa already wants to start teaching you how to be a good Prince Consort.”Suddenly, her expression turns serious.“Jim, can you promise me something?”

“Yes.Anything.”

“Before we settle down into the royal life, we’ll go adventuring together.Anywhere we want.Just you and me.”

Jim kisses the tip of her nose.“I know for a fact Blinky would love to help us build our very own spaceship.”He cups her cheek.“I will follow you anywhere.”He quickly pecks her on the lips and then lays down beside her.“I would like to see a planet other than Earth sometime in my life too.”He pauses.“But maybe not Durio.”

Aja giggles.“You did not just assume the first planet I’d take you is Durio.”

“Maybe I did.”

“You’re impossible, Mr. Troll Boy.”

“Well, so are you, Girl From Beyond The Stars.”

“So, we’re impossible together.”

“It would appear so.”


	4. Awkward Noodle

Aja’s gaze wanders over to Jim’s bookshelf.She looks at all his books, tries to pick out the fiction from the textbooks.She can’t be certain which is which, since she can only see their spines.Aja turns to study various model vehicles.Jim spoke to her a few times about a ‘vespa’ he once had, but it’s gone now.He doesn’t bring it up too often, so she doesn’t pry.

Her gaze comes to rest on a photograph of Jim and his friends.Or, rather, of a skinny, black-haired human boy in a blue jacket standing between Toby and Claire with a smile on his face.She can’t be sure of their location in the photo, but all three of them look happy, like they’re having a fun day out together.

Aja blows out a raspberry.Jim looks up from his laptop, which he’s been using to browse online for movie tickets for them.“Something wrong?”He asks.

“No.”Aja turns to face him.She takes in his blueish-gray stone skin, thick unruly hair, pointy ears, and curved horns.The human boy is still there, if she looks hard enough.But Jim certainly is more troll than human.“Nothing important,” Aja mumbles.When Jim’s brows furrow, she sighs and admits, “I wish I got to know you while you were still human.”

“Oh.”The flinch is barely perceptible, but Aja still sees it.

“I don’t mean it like that!”Aja hastily scrambles over to him at the end of the bed and wraps one of her hands tightly around his.“I love who you are.”She exhales.“It’s just, sometimes, I feel like there’s this entirely other you I never got to know, but so many others did.”She looks up at his face, and his blue eyes that are trying so hard to hide his anxiety.Mentally, she berates herself for causing his worry.“I would have liked to know him too.That’s all.”Aja pauses and grins.“You are very cute, for a troll.You must’ve been equally as cute for a human.”

“You sure about that?”Jim offers a small smile.“The guy you’re talking about was kind of an awkward noodle.”

Aja taps the end of his nose with a finger.“You say that as if you aren’t still an awkward noodle.”

“Hey!”Jim holds out an arm and flexes his muscles.“Does this look like an awkward noodle to you?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t know what a noodle is, do you?”

“I know it’s what you are.”

“Okay, fine.After the movie, I’m taking you to the noodle cafe on Delancey Street.”

Aja maneuvers around so she’s leaning against Jim’s chest.“Can’t wait.”She turns her attention to his movie ticket search.

She may not have been able to get to know who Jim was before, but she knows him now.That’ll have to be enough.


	5. First Meeting (For A Peaceful Earth AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This scene takes place in an au I created where Aja visits Earth as a diplomat/representative of Akiridion-5 to welcome Earth into intergalactic society, but things don't go as smoothly as expected, and she winds up teaming up with Earth's Trollhunter, Jim, to try and resolve a planetary conflict and unify the nations of Earth (human, troll, changeling) in the name of peace.
> 
> More Info Here: im-the-king-of-the-ocean.tumblr.com/post/181655401527/for-a-peaceful-earth-au
> 
> This specific scene is of Aja and Jim's first meeting in the au.

Aja leans on the balcony railing, gazes up at the stars, and sighs.She hopes she’s doing a good job here on Earth.So far, she hasn’t messed anything up like she usually does.She made it to the big gala the Earthlings were hosting without mishap.She’d even gone up and thanked the Trollhunter personally for inviting Akiridion-5 to send a delegation.

Nothing had gone wrong.

So why did everything _feel_ so wrong?

Well, it feels like normal really.Aja wears the beautiful, _expensive_ ceremonial dress of an Akiridion Queen-In-Waiting, but it isn’t comfortable to her.Literally speaking, it’s tailored specifically for her.But, whenever she looked at herself in the mirror while wearing it, the person she sees in these fancy clothes.Well, that person just doesn’t seem like her.

Aja stares at the stars.Maybe they only seem adventurous from afar.Because she’s gone beyond so many of them and she still feels like she did at home.

Like she doesn’t belong.

Footsteps join her.Aja spins around to make herself appear presentable to whichever of the important representatives from inside has joined her.Her eyes widen.

She begins, “Honorable Trollhunter—”

“Please,” He stops her, desperation in his voice.“Jim.My name is _Jim_.I know you probably have some custom that makes you refer to me as only my title or something, but please, for Deya’s sake, I’d like someone to use my name just once tonight.”He sighs, and gives her a pitiful look.“Don’t make me beg.”

Aja smiles at him.“I hadn’t planned on it, _Jim_.”She pauses.“I came out here to have a little break from all of them.”She gestures back to the wide double doors both of them exited from.“I won’t tell them your secret, if you won’t tell them mine.”

“You have yourself a deal.”Jim joins her by the railing.“Aja, of Akiridion-5, I want to say?Sorry, I had to greet literally everyone in there, so if that’s not—”

“That’s me.”Aja looks him up and down.“You’re not very good at this, are you?”

“You could say that, yeah.”

“It’s okay, neither am I.”


	6. Trust

“You can lie to yourself, Aja, but don’t lie to me.”

Aja hesitates just before going to open the door.She gazes at her warped, distorted reflection in the golden doorknob.“I told you.I’m _fine._ ”

“And I know you’re not.”Jim walks up behind her.“Please.”He places a hand on her shoulder.“Talk to me.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”Maybe if she keeps telling herself that, it will become true.

Jim sighs.Aja can feel his breath on the back of her neck.He goes on, “I know there is.Aja—”

“Jim.” Aja cuts him off.She doesn’t actually have a rebuttal, but she knows if she lets him keep talking, she’ll lose her resolve.She has to go.Everything will be better if she just goes away, and never returns.

“Aja.”She’s not sure how Jim manages to maneuver between her and the door, but he does.He leans against the slab of wood, effectively cutting her off from her one way out.You know I—” Jim takes a sharp breath.“I _love_ you.”He places both hands on her shoulders this time.“I’m not just going to stop caring because you’ve run someplace far away.”He closes his eyes, inhales, exhales, and then opens them.“I know what it’s like to not want admit what’s wrong.I’ve _been_ there.Aja, it’s not a great place to be.Please.”He reaches up and strokes her cheek with his thumb.“Let me help.”

Aja places her hand overtop his cool, stone one.She leans into his touch.Oh, how she’s always loved being physically affectionate like this with him.One would assume Jim couldn’t be soft due to his trollishness, but he is the gentlest person she knows.

“Okay,” she whispers, before allowing him to collect her in his arms and carry her over to the couch.

Jim places Aja down, and then sits down next to her.He gives her space.She closes that space by crawling into his lap and resting her head on his chest.She wants to hear his heartbeat, for its regular thrumming to reassure her he’s still there and not going anywhere.As a response, Jim puts a hand on the back of her head and strokes her hair.

“It’s really not that big of a deal.”Aja sniffs.Her sight has gone blurry, and she’s pretending the tears don’t exist.

Jim wipes them off her cheeks.“It is, to you.”

“It shouldn’t be.I’m the _queen_.”Aja sighs.“I’m supposed to be…” She toys with a loose thread on Jim’s shirt.She’ll have to get the royal tailor to make him something new.Seklos and Gaylen only know what rumors will start circulating amongst the people if the Royal Prince-Consort is seen out and about in ragged clothing.

“…Perfect,” Aja continues.“Everyone expects me to be this ideal and I’m, I’m _me_.”She looks up into Jim’s eyes.“I accept that I am the ruler of Akiridion-5, that this is who I am supposed to be.”She groans.“I just wish they treated me like I was _normal_.”

Like everyone on Earth did, she doesn’t say.

Aja misses the mudball planet.A part of her longs to go back.But, she’ll also never forgive herself if she doesn’t try to change things on Akiridion-5.Her parents’ rule, peaceful though it was, had not been without flaws or failings.Aja wants to change things, for the better.For that, she needs the royal position she’d always run from.

“I’m sorry.”Jim presses his forehead against Aja’s.“I can’t change the way they think.” _But I can be here for you_.It’s his unspoken promise.The one that’s always there.

Aja never asked Jim to come with herShe’d wanted to, back when things were first beginning for them and their romance was young, uncertain, and exciting.But, she couldn’t take him away from his home and his family, even though it pained her to be apart from him.

He’d come anyway.Not at first.Not by request.But, because he wanted to.Jim walked into her court and asked to earn a place by her side.She’d stared at him in wonder and accepted.

They’d been together since.Their lifespans equally long and longer than any of the friends they’d once had on Earth.Through everything, through every conflict (and boring council meeting), they supported each other.They’d loved each other.They’d found a new normal with each other.

Aja exhales.Today.Today has been a bad day.One where she struggled to be both herself and ruler.Tomorrow could be equally as challenging.

She finds Jim’s lips with her own and kisses him.

It’s relieving to remember she won’t have to face whatever comes on her own.


	7. Understanding

“You hide it in jokes and sarcasm, but I can see how broken you are.”Tentatively, Aja approaches Jim.

“I’m not _broken_.”

“I—I didn’t mean it like _that._ ”She gently touches his arm.“But I can see you’re hurting.”

“Aja—”

“Didn’t you once tell me it’s never good to suffer alone?To shut out your close friends and family?People who love you?”

Jim turns away from her.“This is different, Aja.”

“How so?”She moves so she can see his face again, though he won’t meet her gaze.“We are both warriors.We both know what it’s like to lose.”

Finally, Jim’s eyes meet hers.There’s a million thoughts running through his head, Aja can see that clearly.She reaches up to cup his cheek in her hand.“It’s okay,” she whispers.“You don’t have to talk about it now.I’ll be here.Whenever you’re ready.”

Jim wraps his hand gently around Aja’s fingers.“I don’t know I’ll ever be.”

“Then, I’ll just be here.”She offers him a shaky smile.“Jim, I…”She looks down away from him, and then back at him.“I love you.”

Jim presses his forehead against hers.“I love you, too, Aja,” he replies.He exhales.“And, thank you.”

They embrace.Jim buries his head in Aja’s shoulder.She can feel his trembles as he begins to cry.She puts her hand on the back of his head.

Today may end in sorrow, but tomorrow will come.And they have each other.Always.


	8. Andy and Lela 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a quick character study with my two fanbaby OC daughters of Aja and Jim
> 
> (it's way too short to make its own thing, and it is ajim-related, so it's going here)

“Hey.Hey, Lela.Hey, _Lela._ Leeeeellaaa.LELA!Leys!”

Lela flips the page in the book she’s been reading for the past hour.She considers ignoring her older sister, but ultimately decides against it.Sure, the next pages may hold the big battle the book has been building up to, but it can always wait.Unlike Andy, who may have thought of a new adventure to pass the time, _and_ would go on it without Lela if she thought Lela wasn’t interested.

“What is it, _Andromeda_?”That doesn’t mean Lela can’t give her sister a hard time, though.

Andy flops down next to Lela.She shoots Lela a look that’s halfway between a glare and a pout.“Don’t call me _Andromeda_.You’re not Mama or Papa.”

“Ah, so I should call you, Your Royal Highness, Princess Andromeda Larren, Firstborn of House Larren, Peace Incarnate Between Akiridion-5 and Earth, like Loth Saborian does?”

“ _Lela_!”

Lela sticks out her tongue.

“Now, you’re gonna get it!”Andy pounces on Lela and ruffles her hair.

Lela wiggles out from under Andy.She smooshes her hand into her older sister’s face as she scrambles up.She takes a step back.The play fight ends immediately.

“You know, on Earth, there’s this big rock called the Heartstone.”Andy sits crosslegged on the floor.She picks up and closes Lela’s book, before placing it to the side.“They say, because you’re more…” She hesitates.“More like Papa.It’ll give you strength.”

Lela shrugs.It’s not the first time she’s heard this.She’s been hearing this since before the trip was even planned.For all she was born and grew up on Akiridion-5, she’s been painfully aware her whole life that she doesn’t really belong there.Not like Andy, who inherited more of their mother’s traits, does.

“I didn’t mean it _like that_.”Andy, as ever, apparently has the ability to read Lela’s thoughts.“I just meant, being on Earth, it’ll give you more strength, and then you won’t have to worry so much about being hurt.”

“I _don’t_ worry.”

“And I _won’t_ tell _._ ”Andy pauses.“Sooo, you up for an adventure?”


End file.
